The present invention relates to a laminating apparatus for laminating materials to be laminated such as solar cell panels or laminated glasses.
In recent years, various technologies as to a solar cell have been developed in order to utilize a solar energy. For example, many kinds of solar cells such as a crystal type solar cell using monocrystal silicon or polycrystal silicon and an amolphous type solar cell using amolphous silicon (noncrystal) are proposed. In any case, crystal type or amolphous type, however, silicon in itself is easily affected by chemical change and physical shock. Therefore, the solar cell panels are usually manufactured by laminating the silicon with the vinyl films or the heat resistance glasses. Further, recently, integrated modules, which integrate the solar panels and the building materials such as the external wall materials or the roof materials, is also manufactured. In case laminating such integrated modules, proper reinforced materials such as the vinyl films or the heat resistance glasses are used.
Traditionally, there are disclosed some laminating apparatuses for manufacturing solar cell panels, so called `double vacuum type laminating apparatus` which include an upper chamber and an under chamber divided with a diaphragm means. JPB 4-6556 entitled `laminating apparatus for solar cell module` the above mentioned double vacuum type laminating apparatuses. The laminating apparatuses disclosed in the above publications include the upper chamber provided with a heating stage. In the operation, putting the materials to be laminated on the heating stage, evacuating both of the upper chamber and the under chamber, adding heat to the materials to be laminated, and introducing the atmosphere into the upper chamber, then the materials to be laminated are compressed and laminated between the upper surface of the heating stage and the diaphragm.
Since, in the traditional laminating apparatuses, the solar cell panel is directly put on the heating stage, the solar cell panel is undesirably heated under the atmosphere before evacuating the chamber. Once the solar cell panel is heated before evacuating, the resin as a filler begin to melt before fully removing the air inside the solar cell panel and it is possible that the air bubbles remain inside the panel. In use of the solar cell panel, the air bubbles remaining inside the solar cell panel are expanded by the increase of temperature caused by the electro motive force or the open air, resulting in the degradation of the solar cell panels and the shorten product life thereof. Recently, a materials such as EVA (ethylenevinylacetate) having a short bridge formation time is developed, however, in case manufacturing the solar cell panels using EVA resin having such a short bridge formation time, it is probable that more air bubbles remain in the resultant panel.
Especially, in case that large solar cell panels using reinforcing materials such as the heat resistance glasses are directly put on the heating stage of high temperature, the entire body of the solar cell panels is apt to be bent by the rapid increase of temperature. Since the entire surface of the bent panels cannot fully contact the upper surface of the heating stage, it fails to heat equally the entire body of the solar cell panels and it results in the defective laminated products.
Further, according to almost all traditional laminating apparatuses, it can be manufactured only a stereotype solar cell panel having the thickness of about 6 to 7 mm. Especially, recently it is required to provide the integrated modules, which integrate the solar panel and the building materials such as the external wall materials or the roof materials, however, according to the traditional laminating apparatuses, it is impossible to laminate materials having different thickness, a bent materials such as the integrated modules or so with the same apparatus. Accordingly the traditional apparatus have only a narrow general applicability. Furthermore, according to the traditional laminating apparatuses, since the solar cell panel always contact the surface of the heating stage during the laminating process, it is hard to carry out the product from the apparatus after finishing the process.